Local Area Networks and telecommunications connections often use patch panels, especially at the customer's premises to enable cross-connection between telecommunications equipment. Patch panels typically include front and rear connection locations. The rear connections are typically a more permanent type of connection, such as an insulation displacement connector that connects to a copper based, twisted pair telecommunications cable. The front connection locations of the patch panel may include any of a variety of jacks, which allows fairly rapid connection and disconnection between two jacks in the same patch panel, or between one jack in the patch panel and another jack in a nearby patch panel via a patch cord.
In most applications, numerous patch panels are provided to accommodate a significant number of interconnections that must be made. Managing the system requires monitoring the availability and occupancy of the connection locations. In conventional patch panel arrangements, the availability/occupancy of the front connection locations of a patch panel or patch panel system is manually or physically monitored. Such methods of management can be improved; the improvement preferably being effected in a cost efficient and time-saving manner.